Electric power distribution system



Dec. 17, 1946. Q BENNETT 2,412,556

ELECTRIC POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM Filed Aug. 5, 1944 -mv \\\w//\\w///\\ /A\\ )//k 7 AW A /44m4/4A 1 2r 2 M4444 INVENTOR ATTORNEYb Patented Dec. 17, 194

ELECTRIC POWER DISTRIBUTION YSTEM Charles E. Bennett, Ridgewood, N. J., assignor to The Okonite-Callender Cable Company, Incorporated, Paterson, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 5, 1944, Serial No. 548,273

4 Claims. 1

This invention is in general directed to electric power distribution systems of the type wherein the cables of the system are disposed in pipe lines filled with oil under pressure and buried in the ground, the present invention relating primarily to fuse blocks or fuse structures for such systems.

More specifically the present invention provides: For the replacement of a blown fuse without the necessity of opening the line and without lowering the pressure in the system, and oil which has been carbonized due to a fuse blowing does not come in contact with the main body of oil in the system and can readily be drained off.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 i a sectional elevational view of an embodiment of my invention; and

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing in detail: I and 2 designate the pipe lines enclosing the conductors 3 of a distribution system of the type above referred to. The pipes I and 2 are maintained filled with oil at a high static pressure, say from one hundred and fifty to two hundred pounds per square inch. The conductor-s 3 are insulated with the usual paper insulation, for example, but the usual lead sheath is omitted. In other words, the insulated but unsheathed conductors simply lie loosely in the oil with which the pipe lines are filled.

Across the adjacent ends of the pipe lines I and 2 is a closed manifold 4, and projecting through the top of this manifold are pairs of bushings or insulating terminals 5, through which extend the fuse terminals 6, to which are attached the adjacent ends of two cable lengths, as will be understood. The fuse terminals may be attached to the cables in any suitable fashion. I designates a fuse bridging each pair of fuse terminals.

One end of the manifold 4 is provided with a check valve 8 adapted to be unseated by movement toward the manifold from the exterior of the manifold, as will be brought out hereinafter.

Enclosing the manifold 4 is a closed housing 9 located in the ground in a handhole Ill. The enclosing housing 9 is provided with a removable cover plate It accessible from the top of the handhole, this plate being bolted sealed. l2 designates a pressure reliief pipe for the housing 9, this pipe being controlled by a valve l3. The bottom of the housing 9 i provided with a drain l4 adapted to be closed by a plug l5.

Projecting into the interior of the housing 9 from the exterior thereof is a screw stem I 6 provided for unseating the check valve 8.

Normally the pipe lines I and 2, the manifold 4 and the enclosing housing 9 are kept filled with oil under superatmospheric static pressure of from to 200 pounds per square inch.

Should one of the high voltage fuses I blow, the valve I3 in the pipe I2 is opened relieving the pressure in the housing 9. The cover I l is then removed and the blown fuse replaced. After the cover II has been sealed in position again the oil in the housing 9, should the same have become contaminated by the blowing of the fuse, may be drained off through the drain l4, where upon with the valve l3 open the housing 9 is allowed to fill up again through the small orifice IT in the manifold 4, or by unseating the check valve 8 by the stem IE, or both. After the housing has filled the valves l3 and 8 are closed and the circuit is again in normal operating condition.

If desired the housing 9 may be provided internally with barriers [8 of Bakelite or any other suitable insulating material to facilitate the removal of a blown fuse and replacement with a new one while the other circuit-s of the system are alive.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the present invention provides a very simple construction by which a fuse in a cable system of the type hereinbefore referred to may be replaced with ease and facility and while the system is alive. It is to be understood that the details of construction which I have shown and described may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. A fuse structure for electric cables of the type wherein the insulated unsheathed cables are immersed in oil under pressure contained in a pipe line, said fuse structure comprising in combination a manifold communicating with the pipe line and adapted to connect the adjacent ends of two lengths of the pipe line to each other, fuse terminals mounted on said manifold and extending thereinto for attachment to the cable conductors, a fuse mounted across said terminals externally of said manifold, a housing enclosing said manifold, terminals and fuse, and adapted to be filled with oil from the manifold, and a removable cover plate for said casing providing access to said fuse from the exterior of said casing.

2. In combination a pair of juxtaposed pipe line sections, a manifold connecting the pipe line sections to each other, an insulated cable conductor in each pipe line section extending into said manifold, a pair of fuse terminals mounted 0n and extending into said manifold and connected to the ends of said cables, a demountable fuse out-side said manifold bridging said terminals, a closed housing enclosing said manifold, a removable cover for said housing permitting of access to said fuse from the exterior of the housing, said pipe line sections, manifold and housing communicating with each other and containing oil under high pressure.

3. In combination a pair of adjacent pipe line sections, a manifold connecting the pipe line sections to each other, insulated cable conductors in each pipe line section extending into said manifold, pairs of fuse terminals mounted on and extending into said manifold, one terminal of each pair being connected to the end of one of said cable conductors, the other terminal of the pair being connected to the corresponding cable conductor in the other pipe line section, a demountable fuse bridging each pair of fuse terminals externally of the manifold, an enclosing housing for the manifold, fuse terminals and 'fuses, partitions of insulating material in the housing separating the pairs of fuse terminals from each other, said pipe line, sections, manifold and housing communicating with each other and containing oil under high pressure, and a removable cover for the housing to permit of access to any of said fuses from the exterior of the housing.

4. In combination a pair of adjacent pipe line sections, a manifold connecting the pipe line sections to each other and in communication therewith, an insulated cable conductor in each pipe line section extending into said manifold, a pair of fuse terminals mounted on and extending into said manifold where they are connected to the ends of said cable conductors, a fuse outside said manifold bridging said terminals, a closed housing enclosing said manifold, a removable cover for said housing permitting of access to .said fuse, a drain for said housing, said pipe lines, manifold and housing containing oil under high pressure, anda valve in the manifold adapted to be unseated from the exterior of said housing for permitting the housing to be refilled from the manifold and pipe line sections.

CHARLES E. BENNETT. 

